Happily Ever After
by Jral
Summary: SEQUEL to Cinderbella. Edward and Bella have been together for four happy years...STORY SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY. So sorry for the inconvenience, but I've hit a road block that i can't seem to overcome, and don't forsee myself finishing this story.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Time for the sequel! A few years have passed since the conclusion of Cinderbella. Edward, Bella and the gang are now all finishing their final semester of their undergraduate years in college. This means that four years have passed since their high school graduation. Just a quick warning, there's a lemon at the end of the chapter =) Enjoy!**

**Chapter 1**

**BPOV**

"I vote we just leave everything else for the next tenants." I threw myself down on the couch, stretching my legs out and staring tiredly up at the white ceiling. Edward's low chuckle rumbled through the room, and a moment later he was crawling on top of me, resting his weight on his forearms on either side of my head. He bent his head slowly, and began placing torturous kisses from my jaw to my collarbone.

"Yeah," I sighed, "definitely leaving it." This time I felt his chuckle vibrate through my own ribcage, and I 'hmmed' in pleasure, reaching up to tangle my hands in his disheveled locks. I used my new grip to force his lips up to mine, slipping the tip of my tongue out to flick his bottom lip. He growled low in his throat, a fire erupting in my belly reflexively, and crashed his lips to my own hungrily.

His left hand lifted from its position in my hair to grip the hem of my t-shirt, tugging it roughly to pull it over my head. I was just about to repeat the action with the garment separating his torso from my lips when there was a loud knock on our door. We groaned in unison, and Edward dropped his forehead to my shoulder, breathing heavily.

"I really hate her sometimes," he grumbled. I chuckled at the despair in his voice, and he snapped his eyes up to meet my gaze. A mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he tipped his head down to attach his lips to the base of my jaw while pressing his hardness against my heated core. I moaned in delight, and the next instant he was gone, running a hand through his hair and sauntering down the hallway.

"Can you get that, baby? I need to take a shower before class." He tossed a crooked grin over his shoulder and I muttered profanities under my breath, slipping my t-shirt back over my head and dragging my feet to the door. I flung it open without bothering to hide the bitter glare on my face. Alice ignored my obvious displeasure and smiled brightly, breezing past me into our living room.

"Good morning, beautiful. You look like you just got cock-blocked," she grinned. I picked up the closest thing I could find, a magazine, and chucked it at the irritating pixie. She dodged it easily and laughed her tinkling laugh, setting her oversized purse down on the coffee table and turning to face me with hands fisted on her dainty hips.

"I come all the way over here to help my soon-to-be sister-in-law pack, and this is the thanks I get?" she tsked. I rolled my eyes at her and finally smiled, walking over to wrap my arms around her little shoulders in a tight hug.

"Thank you, oh magnificent one. How would I ever survive without you?" I giggled. She laughed with me, returning my hug.

"That's more like it," she grinned. "Now, where should we start?" She quickly picked an empty box out of the stack and propped it open, ripping a strip of tape off the roll to seal the base. My eyes swept tiredly over the room, and I blew out a heavy sigh.

There were boxes stacked all along the walls in varying stages of fullness. The semester would be over in two weeks, and the four of us were making the great journey back to Washington. It was nice to experience a few years in New England, and Dartmouth was an amazing school. But we all missed the family, and it was time to go home. Edward and Jasper would both be transferring to the graduate school at the University of Washington in Seattle while Alice and I started working.

Well, Alice will start working. I kind of already have, if you could call it that. I'd started doing some freelance work as a composer last semester. I'd submitted a few pieces for consideration for some local commercials and small budget films, and miraculously they'd liked my work. My 'career' had sort of blossomed from there, and I was actually doing pretty well. I had a few pieces lined up for me when we got to Seattle. Alice had been offered a three month internship with a bridal fashion magazine in Seattle. If they liked her work, which they would of course, she would be offered a full-time position.

"Umm," I started, not really sure what to say, "kitchen?" Alice nodded once in acceptance, hurrying past me into the small space.

Edward had proposed to me two years ago, and we'd all decided to get our own places at the end of our lease that year. Alice and Jasper had found a great apartment only a block away from school, so Edward and I had leased a place in the same building. They were cute and newly renovated with a decent amount of space in the living room and one bedroom, but the kitchen was a tiny galley kitchen. We could afford better with Edward's trust fund and the money I had received in my dad's Will, but it seemed like a waste of money since we knew we wouldn't be here long. I had to admit, though, I was eager to get to our new place in Seattle. I would _not_ miss this kitchen.

I sighed heavily and joined Alice in the kitchen, slowly packing away our unneeded utensils and appliances. We still had a couple weeks left, but finals were coming up next week so it's not like we would be cooking much. I noticed quickly that packing with Alice was much faster than with Edward. That could be because we didn't stop for _recreational _breaks. I choose to believe that it's because she's just remarkably efficient.

We had nearly the entire space packed by the time Edward emerged from the shower, hair still damp and disheveled, cheeks flushed. I took a moment to admire him, loving what I saw. He'd filled out a little more since high school, wiry limbs a little thicker, chest and abs ridiculously firm. His face had lost the last traces of youth, leaving behind a strong jaw with just a hint of five o'clock shadow. His strange hair was the only thing that hadn't changed, the dark copper locks still sticking out in every direction.

My mind wandered as my eyes roamed hungrily over his body, only coming back to reality when he hooked his index finger under my chin and lifted my eyes to meet his vibrant green gaze with a smirk. I narrowed my eyes at him and he chuckled softly, bending down to place a soft kiss on my lips.

"Off to class?" I sighed. He nodded in response, hugging Alice quickly before grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Yeah, but today's my last day for the week. The next three days are supposed to be study days," he rolled his eyes. "But don't forget, I have a study session with the group tonight at Leah's. She said to tell you to stop by when you're done with Alice." I smiled softly, nodding in agreement.

Edward had been assigned a study group of sorts when he started pre-med at Dartmouth our first semester. I had opted not to participate in the program, but it had come in handy for Edward. His group started off with twenty-two students in the same area of study all assigned the same class schedule so that they had a built in peer-group to study with. They were down to five active members now in their final semester, including Edward.

I'd loved Leah right off the bat. She reminded me so much of Rosalie, despite their physical differences. Leah was Quileute, like Jacob, but she had grown up on the East Coast with her adoptive parents. We had introduced her to Jake the first time he came for a visit, and they were both smitten from the start. She was following us to Seattle at the end of the semester.

"Alright, we should be done around seven," I told him, glancing at Alice for confirmation. She nodded her head with a small smile, taping up her last box and carrying it in her tiny arms to stack against the wall with the others. I followed Edward to the front door while Alice moved her efforts to our DVD case in the living room.

"I'll see you in a few hours," he sighed, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He lifted the straps into place before wrapping his hands around my waist, pulling my body flush against his. I tilted my head back in request and he smiled softly, tipping his own down to capture my lips in a gentle kiss. Warmth spread automatically through my body in response, but he pulled away all too soon.

"I love you," he said quietly, and I stood on my toes to kiss him once more.

"I love you, too," I sighed. With one final kiss to the forehead he pulled open our front door, offering me one last smile and disappearing down the hall. I frowned, already missing him, and trudged across the living room to help Alice. It took us nearly two hours to fill the half-empty boxes that Edward and I had left lying around, but when we finished only the necessities remained unpacked. We had managed to make neat piles in the corners of the rooms so that the boxes were out of our way.

"Alright, let's get you dressed," Alice grinned, grabbing my hand and hauling me into the bedroom without so much as a water break. She left me in the middle of the room as she marched into my closet, emerging moments later with an armful of clothes. She thrust them at me without a word, and turned to leave me alone in my room. I rolled my eyes but smiled at her retreating form, laying the clothes out on the bed and stripping down to change into them.

She'd gone easy on me today. Last week she'd tried to send me out in a mini-dress and heels, completely overlooking the fact that it was barely sixty degrees and I was likely to freeze to death before I made it down the street. Today she'd given me light-wash distressed jeans, a simple navy tank, and a charcoal knit hooded cardigan. She_ had_ given me heels, but they were low-heeled slouchy boots, so I wasn't going to complain.

I ran a brush through my thick waves before hurrying into the living room, throwing the purse Alice held out to me over my shoulder and grabbing my keys. We stepped out of the apartment and I locked it quickly, following Alice down the hall. We'd been meeting twice a week for wedding preparations for the last two months, and I was so happy it was almost over. Edward and I had decided to wait until we made it back to Washington to have the wedding instead of asking everyone to come to us, and Alice had been thrilled that she was given nearly two years to plan everything. I thought she'd be finished by now, but apparently wedding planning wasn't over until the happy couple left for the honeymoon.

I had another fitting for my dress today. Alice had grown frustrated when I turned down every dress she found for me, threatening to just pick one and stuff me in it with or without my permission. I had finally found the perfect one only six months ago, and she'd nearly cried with relief. After the fitting today I would have one more if necessary, then the designer was shipping it to us in Seattle.

After the fitting there were endless loose ends to tie. It was tricky planning a wedding in Forks from New Hampshire, but Alice was amazing. The only thing left to do was verify shipping dates and details, and finish up everyone's fittings. That didn't mean that Alice wasn't coming to me with various 'emergencies' every other day, but at least all of the major pieces had been taken care of. Poor Jasper had proposed to Alice last year, but at this rate they wouldn't actually be getting married any time soon.

She finally released me from my duties a few minutes before seven, and I jumped in my car to head to Leah's. My poor truck hadn't quite made the trip from Washington. I was heartbroken to lose that piece of my dad, but the truck was ancient and it had to go sometime. Edward had given me a Lexus RX to replace it; way to extravagant for a college student, but an improvement on the Audi R8 he had been trying for. I think that one was more for him than me.

I pulled up in front of Leah's apartment building twenty minutes later. The sky was darkening quickly around me, and I hugged my cardigan closer as I hurried up the three flights of stairs. The sound of quiet laughter floated toward me through the door, and I smiled reflexively in response to Edward's deep chuckle. I rapped quickly on the door, bouncing from foot to foot in the chilly evening air as I waited for someone to open it. My prayers were answered seconds later when the door slid open, revealing a smiling Leah on the other side.

"You're not the pizza," she frowned, tilting her head at me. I rolled my eyes but grinned at her, stepping forward to hug her quickly. She laughed softly and hugged me back, ushering me inside and closing the door. I followed her down the hall and into the living room, where the other four members of the group were spread out with their books.

"No pizza, just Bella," she sighed dramatically. Edward's head snapped up, a breathtaking smile on his lips, and I grinned in response. He quickly flipped his book shut and rose from the couch, rounding it in three long strides before scooping me into his arms and kissing me sweetly.

"Hey," he grinned, cupping my face in one warm hand. I leaned into his touch, returning his smile.

"Hey," I giggled, and his grin widened in response. A gagging noise from Leah's direction caught our attention, and I stuck my tongue out at her before Edward tugged me over to the couch. He dropped down onto the end cushion and stretched his long legs out, pulling me down sideways on his lap when I tried to sit beside him. I squeaked in surprise and he wrapped his arms tightly around me, leaning in to press a lingering kiss to my jaw. I flushed in response and fought back a grin, glancing around to find Felix and Demitri shaking their heads in amusement.

"About time you got here," Felix muttered. Demitri guffawed and I tilted my head in confusion.

"He's been checking his phone for the time every three minutes since 6:30. We thought he was about to send out a search party," Demitri explained. I turned to quirk an eyebrow at my fiance and he shrugged unapologetically, a smile still playing on his lips. A irritated snort pulled my attention away from his ridiculously handsome face, and I turned to offer the final member of the group a tight smile.

"Hi, Tanya," I said, forcing some pleasantness into my tone. She smiled tightly back, the action not quite reaching her eyes.

Tanya and I weren't exactly friends. In fact, I kind of hated her. At first I had thought that maybe we just needed to get used to each other, and we'd eventually grow out of this uncomfortable stage. Unfortunately, the animosity had grown. She was blatantly flirtatious with Edward and condescending toward me. I could handle the giant stick up her ass. The flirting? Not so much. I trusted Edward completely and never doubted his faithfulness; however, that didn't mean that I was perfectly fine with her throwing herself at him every time she came around. My only consolation was that Edward disliked her nearly as much as I did.

There was a knock at the door and Leah quickly jumped up to get it, muttering about the pizza. I settled into Edward's embrace, smiling in satisfaction at Tanya's grimace and tossing a wink to the smirking men on the other side of the room. Demitri stifled a chuckle and Felix grinned wider, both quickly turning their attention back to their books. Edward grabbed his from the cushion beside us, opening it in my lap with arms still around me and going back to his reading. Well, that's what he was supposed to be doing, but I'd imagine it would be hard for him to read with his lips making a trail down my throat.

He stopped his ministrations when Leah returned with an armful of pizza boxes. The group let out a collective cheer and dropped their books, lunging at the food. Edward kept me on his lap, placing pizza for both of us on one plate and setting on my lap like he had his book. I ate silently as I listened to them discuss the reading. Most of our finals had been fairly straightforward and simple, but Edward had one he was concerned about. The group had been meeting more often than usual as everyone shared his fears.

"Edward, you're so smart! I totally don't get any of this, but you just, like, get it. Ya know?" Tanya tilted her head to the side, twirling a strand of strawberry blonde hair around her index finger as she smiled 'innocently' at my fiance. Leah snorted on the other end of the couch and Edward sighed quietly, not bothering to respond, running a hand slowly along my side in a less-than-subtle attempt to remind her that I was in the room. Like she'd forgotten.

The conversation slowly died down as everyone dug into their food, and I'd barely finished my second slice when Edward nudged me out of his lap and stood behind me. He tossed our paper plate into the trash can and came back to my side, tossing his bag over his shoulder before scooping me up bridal-style without notice.

"I've had enough for one night. Time for some fun," he grinned, waggling his eyebrows and turning toward the door. Three catcalls floated out around one muttered grumble, and Leah stood to hand me my purse with a small wink as Edward carried me through the door. I called out goodbyes over his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning up to suck on the edge of his jaw. He groaned quietly and walked faster, maneuvering the stairs better with me in his arms than I could have managed walking on my own.

"I think I could go for some fun," I murmured, flicking my tongue out for a taste of his skin. He cursed under his breath and dropped me on my feet beside my car, bending down to press a hungry kiss to my lips. He pulled back quickly and turned around without a word, sprinting toward his Volvo. I giggled quietly and jumped into my car, pulling out of the lot behind him and struggling to match his speed through the dark streets.

We reached our building in record time, and he was at my door before I had shut the car off. He tugged me along behind him as he hurried up the stairs, fumbling with his keys for a minute before getting the door open and pulling me inside. His backpack hit the floor with a 'thud' and yanked my purse off my shoulder, throwing it down beside it. He waited impatiently as I locked the door, then drew me back into his arms as he practically ran to the bedroom.

"Are we in a bit of a hurry tonight?" I giggled. He responded by yanking his shirt over his head, and I licked my lips instinctively. One large hand reached out to tangle itself in the curls at the base of my neck, and he pulled me forward to crash his lips to my own.

"I need you," he murmured, his lips brushing mine gently as he spoke. My response was immediate, and my cardigan and shirt were on the floor within seconds. He wrapped both hands beneath my ass and lifted me into the air, letting me wrap my legs around his waist before carrying me to the bed and tossing me into the center. He crawled slowly up my body, the heat in his eyes making me squirm, and dropped his lips to make a trail from my navel to my chin.

His mouth finally slanted over my own, and he forced his tongue roughly into my open mouth as his nimble fingers went to work on the button of my jeans. They were off a heartbeat later, quickly followed by his own before he laid his body across mine once more. I tangled my hands in his hair, pulling his lips back to my own, and wrapped my legs around his waist. I rocked against his length, moaning in ecstasy as it rubbed against my heated core through thin layers of fabric. His growl rumbled through his chest, sending waves of vibrations along my heated flesh.

My bra disappeared in the next instant, and Edwards lips wrapped around one pert nipple, sucking and nipping greedily as his other hand came up to massage my other breast. I threw my head back into the pillows, my eyelids fluttering shut as a gasp of pleasure escaped my lips. He lavished both breasts with attention, all tongue and teeth as he worked his way down my torso, finally stopping to remove my panties as he slid down my body. When he'd finally freed me of them, he extended one long finger to slide through my folds, but stopped when I shook my head vigorously.

"No," I gasped, "I need you _now_." His emerald orbs darkened instantly at my command, and he quickly leaned back to strip out of his boxers. He crawled slowly back up my body, holding my gaze, and I spread my legs to welcome him. His eyes traveled every inch of my exposed flesh, tongue darting out to wet his lips, before he leaned forward to suck my bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling on it gently. I writhed beneath him as I felt his tip rub the length of my folds, and finally opened my eyes when he stopped all movement. As soon as his gaze met my own, he sheathed his length inside of me with one hard thrust. We both moaned in pleasure, our bodies quickly finding a rhythm as we rocked against one another.

The coil in the pit of my stomach began to build rapidly, and it wasn't long before I was dragging my nails across Edward's skin, straining to reach the edge. His thrusts became more sporadic, hinting at his own pending release, and I drug his face back to mine to capture his lips in a passionate kiss. The contact was enough for both of us, and we both fell over the edge in the next instant, our cries muffled by the kiss.

My body shuddered for several long moments, flashes of light spreading across my vision, and Edward's body slowly relaxed above me. We both groaned in protest when he slid out of me, but he quickly crawled under the blankets we had neglected and pulled me onto his chest. Our ragged breathing was the only sound in the quiet space, and I rested my cheek on his slick flesh as I waited for my heart to calm down. It was several more minutes before we'd both calmed, the sweat on our skin finally drying and our breathing regular. Edward's fingers trailed lightly along the length of my spine, and I snuggled further into his side.

"I love you," I mumbled quietly, slowly slipping into unconsciousness. He wrapped his arm securely around my waist, bringing the other around to hold me to his side. His lips pressed gently against the top of my head, and I sighed in contentment.

"I love you, my Bella." My smile was slow and sluggish, and I drifted into a blissful sleep.

**A/N: So? What do you think so far? Leave me some reviews and let me know how I'm doing =)**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: I thought I'd give you a glimpse inside Edward's head so you can see where he's at with things =) **

**Chapter 2**

**EPOV**

I woke slowly, smiling at the feel of the warm body wrapped in my arms. I couldn't resist tipping my head down to press a soft kiss against her bare shoulder, and she rewarded me by wiggling further back into my embrace.

It still amazed me that she'd agreed to marry me. Even on mornings like this, where I woke to her in my arms, I had a hard time believing it was real. But regardless of why the universe had decided I was worthy of this girl, I wasn't going to argue. If she'd have me, I'd be hers for eternity.

With a quick glance at the clock I decided that a few more minutes of sleep couldn't hurt, and I dropped my head back down onto the pillows. Bella had other ideas, however, as she stretched her little body out slowly and twisted in my arms to face me. Her big brown eyes blinked up at me, a slow smile stretching across her lips. She learned forward without a word to kiss me softly, and I pulled her further into my chest.

"Good morning," she murmured quietly, trailing her lips down my jaw. My eyelids fluttered closed and I grunted in response. She giggled softly and I forced my eyes open to look down at her, a smile on my own lips. I reached a hand up to tuck a mahogany curl behind her ear, letting my fingers trail along the creamy skin across her cheekbones.

Bella was more beautiful than the day I'd met her, if that was even possible. Her body had filled out over the last four years, and parts of my own body had definitely taken notice. I'd always wanted her in every way imaginable, but now every glance at her curvy little frame had me hard. Her skin was softer than ever, and her body responded to my touch almost as quickly as mine did to hers.

The growl of her stomach broke through our comfortable silence, and I chuckled as she grinned up at me. I released my hold on her to let her slide to the edge of the bed, and she rose to her feet while lifting her arms above her head. Her body twisted from side to side as she stretched her limbs, and a strangled noise escaped my throat. She padded naked across the room, bending to snag my t-shirt from the floor and slipping it over her head.

"Hungry?" she asked, turning to blink innocently at me from the doorway. I pulled my eyes away from the curve of her ass that was exposed by my shirt, catching the small twitch of her lips as she fought back a smile. I narrowed my eyes at her and she finally cracked, giggling softly as she sashayed down the hall. I hurried to slip on my boxers and follow her to the kitchen, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind when I found her in front of the open fridge. She 'hmmed' quietly and leaned back into my chest, eyes still scanning the contents of our fridge.

After a few moments she made up her mind, and began pulling out ingredients and setting them on the counter. I took a seat at our little bistro table and settled down to watch her work, humming quietly to herself as she bustled around the small space. We ate our breakfast in a comfortable silence before taking a 'quick' shower, finally ending up sprawled across the living room couch. I played with Bella's hair absentmindedly as her back rested against my chest, sitting in the space between my legs. She was flipping through _Wuthering Heights_ for the thousandth time, and I smiled as I pressed a kiss into her hair. The chirping of her phone broke through the silence, and Bella tapped the screen to pull up a text from Alice.

"We're being ordered to come to lunch," she giggled, and I sighed as I helped her stand. I'd been hoping to spend my day without classes with Bella, just relaxing and being together with no interruptions. With the semester wrapping up and our move fast-approaching, we'd been busier than usual lately. I missed just being alone with her, but that argument would never fly with Alice. I was beginning to believe that we weren't allowed free time until the honeymoon. But you know, that might not be such a bad thing...

Bella tugged on my hand to draw me back into our room, and I watched silently for a moment as she stripped off my t-shirt and began digging through the dresser. I frowned when she slipped into a bra and some boy shorts, finally turning to grab a pair of jeans and a button-down from the closet.

My eyes stayed on Bella as I dressed, watching her pull out a pair of dark brown knee-high boots and a little sundress. She leaned up to press a sweet kiss to my lips, disappearing into the bathroom while I finished buttoning my shirt. She left it to me a few minutes later, and when I came out she had pulled on a sweater and was checking her purse. I ushered her out of our apartment, locking the door before twining my fingers with hers and leading her toward my Volvo.

Alice and Jasper were already seated at a table inside our favorite cafe when we arrived. Bella and I slid into the booth across from them, exchanging hellos and placing our order when the waitress arrived. Alice was her usual bubbly self as she chattered excitedly about the end of the semester, and Jasper smiled at her adoringly with his arm draped over the back of their seat. Bella was smiling indulgently at the little pixie, her shoulder leaning into my side and her hand resting lightly on my thigh. I had my own arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her against me.

"Oh! Bella, we have to make a trip to the florist's after lunch and confirm the arrangement. Some clerk called me this morning to verify that we had selected stargazers and calla lilies. Can you imagine?" she scoffed. Bella shook her head obediently, and Alice pressed on.

"Of course not! So we need to swing by and make sure that they placed our order for the mango calla lilies for _your _bouquet, and the _white_ for ours. I have no idea where they got stargazers from," she grumbled. "And on top of that, we have a video chat scheduled with your cake decorator to check in on things. He's got the final sketch ready for us to approve, so we definitely need to get that taken care of."

"I still don't understand why we need such a big cake," Bella sighed, and Alice's little eyes rolled into her head. Jasper and I fought back chuckles as we watched their interaction.

"Bella, you need to trust me. How would it look if you had a tiny little sheet cake at your wedding? It would look ridiculous, that's how it would look," she hurried on, not giving Bella a chance to speak. "This wedding is as much for your guests as it is for you. If not, more so, because we won't all be blissfully happy with honeymoon fantasies drifting through our minds." She quirked an eyebrow at Bella, who shrugged simply in allowance of this. I shook my head, grinning slowly, and pressed a kiss to her temple.

Jasper spoke up to ask me about my finals, and Bella smiled gratefully at him for the change in subject. She had started out ecstatic about wedding planning, but the joy was slowly being leached out of her as the date approached and the stress piled up. I'd asked Alice to tone it down a little and give her room to breathe, and I had to admit she'd made the process a lot easier for Bella.

Our lunch finally ended when Alice announced that there was work to do, and pulled Bella out of my arms after only a single kiss. Jasper clapped me on the shoulder with a grin and conned me into taking him back to his place to help with the packing. Alice and Bella had managed to get most of our things into boxes and ready to go, but she'd been too busy wedding planning to work on her own apartment. We made our way back to their place and got to work, emptying it out as the afternoon bled into the evening. Bella and Alice finally arrived just after dark, and we wished them goodnight before stumbling down to our car and heading home. We fell asleep as soon as we arrived, collapsing onto the bed in one another's arms.

I knocked lightly on the bedroom door, grinning at the muffled giggles on the other side, and poked my head in to find both girls sitting in the middle of the bed surrounded by Alice's 'wedding binder'. It looked more like a collection of random photos, fabric swatches, and pricing sheets, but I guess that's why I'm not in charge. Bella's face was flushed with laughter and her lips were still pulled into a breathtaking smile when I entered. She tipped her head back expectantly when I came to her side, and I obligingly pressed a kiss to her waiting lips with a small smile of my own.

"The group should be here soon. Do you need anything before we get started?" I asked, reaching up to brush her bangs from her forehead as I spoke. She smiled sweetly, shaking her head in response as Alice mimicked her actions.

"Nope, I think we're good. I'll order some dinner for everyone a little later, if you'd like?" she offered. I bent down to kiss her once more, ignoring Alice's sigh of annoyance. Bella leaned into the kiss as I pulled away, and I grinned down at her, stroking her bottom lip with the pad of my thumb.

"Thank you. Don't work too hard." She rolled her eyes at me with a smile and shooed me away, and I obediently slipped back into the living room. A knock at the door announced my guests moments later, and I quickly crossed the room to let Felix and Demitri in. We exchanged some small talk while we waited for the girls to arrive, Leah first, then Tanya. I made sure to choose the single armchair for my seat rather than the couch, not wanting to give Tanya the option to join me.

Bella had been present the first day our group had met, so they were all aware of our relationship from the beginning. She'd started dropping by for our meetings on a regular basis after she hit it off with Leah, and I announced our engagement to them proudly two years ago. And yet, Tanya didn't get the hint. At first I had assumed that she was just one of those girls that felt the need to flirt with anything with a dick. I figured that if I brushed her off enough and made it apparent that I was more than happy with Bella, she'd eventually lay off and move on to one of the other guys. But she'd never so much as batted her eyelashes in their direction, remaining steadfast in her determination to 'woo' me.

She settled grudgingly on the other end of the couch from Leah, leaving the guys to grab spots on the floor. We all dutifully opened our books while the chatter died down, grudgingly delving into our studies. The time dragged by slowly, and a dull throb settled in behind my eyes after the first couple of hours. It seemed that we were all in need of a break as everyone snapped their books shut, releasing weary sighs. Leah glanced around the apartment, taking in the plethora of moving boxes, and quirked an eyebrow at me.

"You guys are already packed? Seriously? I haven't even gotten boxes yet," she laughed. I chuckled with her, running hand through my hair with a shrug.

"Alice," I said simply. Leah nodded in understanding, shaking her head with a fond smile.

"You're moving too?" Felix asked, tilting his head at Leah. She nodded slowly, a small smile on her lips and an uncharacteristic blush on her cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm following Cullen and Bella," she grinned, offering no further explanation. I tried to hide my smirk, and she shot me a warning glare. I decided to be nice; Bella and Alice tease her relentlessly about Jake, she doesn't need it from me too.

"Wait, what do you mean you're following them? Like, to the same part of town, or what?" Tanya chimed in, glancing between us in confusion. I stared at her incredulously, noticing the same expression on everyone else's face.

"No," Leah said slowly, "I'm following them back to Washington." Tanya's face is blank for a moment before her eyes widen in surprise, and Leah continues to study her like she's questioning her sanity.

"Oh my God!" Tanya shrieked, and all four of us winced. "You're moving to _Washington_? I thought you were just moving to a different apartment! Why are you moving? Is Bella making you? Are you dropping out of medical school? You can't drop out, Edward!" I blinked slowly at her, sharing a confused glance with the rest of the group. I'm pretty sure they'd all known about this for months.

"Actually, we're moving back to Washington because I want to," I clarified, my tone perhaps a tad sharper than necessary. "I miss my family, and when Bella and I decide to start a family of our own I want them to be close by, not clear across the country. And of course I'm not dropping out of medical school," I frowned. Her eyes narrowed at the mention of Bella, but she remained silent throughout my explanation.

"But, Eddie," she whined, and I cringed at the nickname, "what about all of us? We're gonna miss you." She popped her bottom lip out in a pout, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Leah wasn't quite as successful.

"Don't call me that," I snapped automatically, "and Leah's coming with us, so I'm not leaving everyone. I'm sure it won't be too hard to keep in touch with the guys," I shrugged, glancing over at them. They both smirked at me, not missing my obvious avoidance of mentioning Tanya in my plans to stay connected. Bella and Alice's laughter rang down the hallway as soon as I finished speaking, and I smiled reflexively. Tanya rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in a huff.

"Shouldn't they be trying to keep it down a little? I mean, we _are _trying to study out here," she grumbled. I narrowed my eyes, my jaw clenching in annoyance, and fought to keep the growl out of my voice.

"Actually, she's discussing our wedding plans with my sister," I replied, enjoying the tightening around her eyes at the mention of mine and Bella's wedding. "I'm surprised they've managed to keep quiet this long."

Tanya rolled her eyes again, and Leah opened her mouth to say something when the door to our bedroom swung open. Bella sauntered down the hall, a serene smile on her lips, and she walked straight to my side. Her fingers instantly sank into my hair, and I fought back a groan of pleasure as my eyes snapped shut and I wrapped an arm around her hips.

"Hey, guys," she smiled, tossing a little wave to the group. Tanya merely frowned back, and I pulled Bella tighter against my shoulder.

"I just ordered some burgers from that little joint down the street. I hope that's okay," she asked, her eyes dutifully ignoring the petulant strawberry blonde to our left. Everyone quickly voiced their approval, and I tugged Bella down into my lap. She giggled quietly and leaned forward to accept my kiss, before shifting slightly to face the rest of the room. Felix and Demitri let out a stream of catcalls, and Bella stuck her tongue out at them earning laughter in return.

"So, how goes the wedding planning?" Leah grinned, tucking her legs beneath her and turning to face us more fully. Bella's smile widened, and I kissed her temple lightly.

"Great! I think Bridezilla got laid this morning, 'cause she seems pretty chill today." She nodded her head toward our bedroom with a grin, and the group barked out a laugh.

"I heard that!" We all chuckled at Alice's screech, and Bella rolled her eyes with a grin.

"I so do not envy you right now," Leah grinned. "The working with Alice part _or _the marrying Edward part." I chuckled at her teasing, and Bella shrugged nonchalantly.

"Eh, I'll take what I can get," she replied, her face carefully blank. I glared playfully at her, digging my fingers into her sides.

"Oh, really?" I asked as she squirmed in my lap, giggling wildly while I continued to tickle her. I caught her just as she was about to fall to the floor, and she grinned up at me.

"I'm just kidding, baby," she said sweetly. "You're the smartest, handsomest, most wonderful fiance in the whole world, and it is _such_ an honor to be marrying you," she teased. I pinched her side once more, causing her to yelp in surprise, chuckling as I kissed her lips softly. Felix and Demitri dry-heaved at our display of affection, and Leah shook her head at us in amusement. Tanya glared.

A knock on the door a moment later announced the arrival of our food, and Bella hopped up from my lap to retrieve it with me trailing behind. The delivery boy stuttered nervously as he handed her the bags, refusing to make eye contact when she paid him. He hurried off with a muttered 'thanks' and Bella shrugged in confusion, handing me one of the bags and closing the door. We passed the food around the living room just as Alice emerged from our room, keys in hand.

"You're leaving?" Bella asked, stepping forward to hug her goodbye.

"Booty call from my cowboy," Alice winked, and I groaned in disgust. Bella and Leah shouted catcalls and 'congratulations' out to her as she scurried out of the room, and I frowned playfully at my fiance. She giggled at my expression and went to sit on the floor in front of my chair, but I pushed in into the seat and sat on the floor in her place. We all eagerly dug into our food as Tanya nibbled on the tomato she had pulled out of the box with a look of disgust on her face. Bella dropped her empty container on the coffee table with a grin a few minutes later, her eyes glancing at Tanya. The blonde had left everything but the vegetables, and set it aside as she stared at Bella with a look of horror. I chuckled lightly and reached behind me, wrapping my hand around the back of Bella's neck and drawing her forward to kiss me upside-down. She licked my bottom lip lightly with a giggle and I stifled my groan, drawing my knees up to my chest to hide my 'problem'. Leah rolled her eyes at us, standing up with an indulgent smile.

"I think we better get out of here before they go at it on the coffee table," she grinned. The guys chuckled while Tanya sulked, and Bella nodded somberly. I shook my head at her, my smile spreading, and stood to see everyone out.

Once everyone was gone I turned to find Bella disposing of all the trash, and watched her quietly as she straightened up the living room with a small smile on her lips. When she finished she turned toward the hallway without a word, shucking her shoes along the way. As she reached our door she angled toward me slightly, a smirk tugging at her lips as she let her sundress fall into a puddle at her feet. She silently slipped into our bedroom, leaving me standing in the living room with my mouth open for a split second before I hurried after her.

I had discarded my shoes and shirt by the time I reached our room, and I was working on my jeans. My movements faltered when I found Bella naked and waiting in the center of our bed, and my shaking fingers rushed to free me of the remainder of my clothes. I stumbled out of my boxers and launched myself at the bed, settling into the circle of her arms with a content sigh.

"Let's practice for the honeymoon, shall we?" she murmured, her voice low and raspy with desire. My mouth ran dry as she traced her little hands slowly down the lines of my back, and I merely nodded as I'd lost the ability to speak. Her plump lips quirked up into a smile, and I let her roll me onto my back and take over the reins.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Alrighty, we're gonna start getting into the meat of the story here =) There's a bit of drama comin up soon, but not too much (cuz this is a fairytale after all). **

**Chapter 3**

**BPOV**

"Edward!" Every muscle in my body tensed as heat shot through my veins, flashes of light exploding behind my closed lids. The coil in the pit of my stomach flicked open, sending tendrils of pleasure to every nerve ending.

I slowly came down from my high with Edward shuddering above me from his own release, our ragged breaths mingling in the small space between us. He rolled slowly onto his side, both of us whimpering at the loss of contact, and I quickly flipped over to rest my cheek against his chest.

"Now _that's _how you prepare for a final," I mumbled. Edward chuckled lightly, stroking my hair with one large hand while the other kneaded the flesh on my hip. I 'hmmed' in pleasure, snuggling further into his side, and heaved a sigh of regret.

"I guess I'd better get up. I need to take a shower before Alice claims me for the day." I pulled out of his grip and slid to the edge of the bed, smirking at the pout on his lips.

"Care to join me?" He shot out of the bed and into the bathroom before my feet had even hit the floor, and I followed after him with a grin.

Alice showed up after round three.

I grudgingly withdrew from Edward's embrace, tugging my skirt back down and leaning forward to peck his lips once more. He sighed sorrowfully as I hurried to the door, and I was still giggling when I let Alice in. She quirked an eyebrow at me, dark eyes scanning me from head to toe before they skipped past me to take in Edward's open shirt and more disheveled than usual hair.

"I don't even wanna know," she sighed, throwing both hands up in the air. Edward tossed me a wink with his crooked grin, coming over to place another kiss on my lips before going to dig his shoes out of the closet. Alice took one look at my grin and shook her head in amusement, rolling her little eyes and putting a hand on her hip.

"You guys are nauseating sometimes, really," she laughed. "Go get your shoes on; we have to be at your final fitting in half an hour."

I nodded in understanding and slipped into our room, pulling on my 'dress heels'. Alice insisted that I wear them for every fitting as they were the same height as the heels I would actually be wearing on the day. They were ridiculously uncomfortable, but I was in too good of a mood this morning to argue with her.

Edward stepped out of the bathroom when I was grabbing my purse and wrapped an arm around my waist to walk back to the living room with me. He bent to press a gentle kiss to the hollow behind my ear, chuckling at my involuntary shiver, and left me in Alice's capable hands while he picked up his wallet, keys, and phone.

"I have my last final right after the fitting, so I won't see you until later on this evening. Is the group still coming over tonight?" Edward nodded in response as we all filed out the front door.

"Yeah, this is our last session since the test is tomorrow. They're coming over here for a short night just to review. They'll probably be gone by the time you get back." He grinned at me and winked, and Alice sighed dramatically as I giggled.

"Alright, loverboy, you need to go pick up Jazz for _your_ final fitting. It's in an hour, so don't be late," she warned, looking at him sternly. He threw her a mock salute and bent to kiss me with a grin, hurrying off to his Volvo. I climbed into my car and pulled out of the lot behind Alice, following her dutifully to the dress shop.

Only minutes later I was standing on the little platform, draped in white and twirling slowly in front of the mirrors and Alice. My seamstress was standing off to the side, her head tilted as she scrutinized the fit. I frowned slightly, tugging on the bust-line, struggling to breathe.

"It's gorgeous," Alice sighed wistfully. I smiled down at her, unable to argue.

It was a beautiful gown. It was elegant but simple, exactly what I'd wanted. The ivory satin fabric was unadorned and crisp, in an a-line cut that flowed out in a traditional silhouette to leave a short train behind me. The only embellishment was a set of three champagne bands added under the bust for contrast. The strapless sweetheart neckline was feminine but understated. Or at least, it_ was_ understated until I apparently grew an entire cup-size.

"I was sure that we didn't have any problems with the bust at the last fitting," the seamstress muttered, stepping forward to tug and push at the fabric. Alice settled herself into an armchair off to the side, smiling brightly as she watched the seamstress work.

"I'm so ready to be going home, aren't you?" she sighed. My own smile was automatic, and I nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll admit, it's absolutely beautiful here," I sighed. "But I can't say that I'll miss all of the snow." Alice laughed with me, nodding her agreement. "And it'll be nice to have everyone close by again. I miss Carlisle and Esme, and Rose and Emmett. I even miss Jake," I laughed.

"I know what you mean," she grinned. "I can't wait to be home. Jazzy and I are finally finished packing. We left enough clothing and other necessities out for this last week, and a couple empty boxes to pack it all up when the truck arrives. How are you guys doing on the packing?"

"All done," I smiled. "We left a few things out too, but everything else is ready to go. It just needs to be loaded up. After Edward finishes his last final tomorrow we'll be done with the semester, so we want to spend the week cleaning the apartment out so we can try to get our deposit back." Alice nodded in agreement, then wrinkled her little nose as she thought of something.

"I definitely won't miss Tanya," she muttered. I laughed loudly, nodding my agreement. "I don't know how you put up with her, " she admitted. "I'd go crazy if some girl was constantly all over Jasper like that."

"Oh, trust me, I want nothing more than to rip her pretty blonde hair out sometimes," I laughed. "But we're leaving next week and we'll never have to see her again. Besides, I trust Edward; she can flirt all she wants and it won't change anything between us."

"Okay, these measurements have definitely changed," the seamstress announced, gaining our attention. I bit my lip nervously, and Alice tilted her head in confusion.

"At your last fitting in March your bust measured at thirty-two and a half. Now it's at nearly thirty-four. I don't understand," she sighed, shaking her head in confusion. Alice's eyes narrowed, and she studied me shrewdly.

"What's up, Bells?" she asked, her voice sharp with command. I sighed lightly, a small smile tugging on my lips.

"Okay, well I'm not one hundred percent positive yet, but," I paused, sucking in a deep breath, "I think I'm pregnant." It was silent for a moment before Alice squealed excitedly, launching herself onto the podium beside me and pulling me into a tight hug.

"Oh my God, Bella! This is so great! How long have you known? Have you taken a test? Does Edward know yet? Oh my God!" I laughed at her enthusiasm, placing both hands on her shoulders to make her hold still.

"Slow down, Alice," I laughed. "I'm not positive, but all of the signs are there. I've been ridiculously tired lately and I keep having random bouts of nausea. My bust has obviously grown, and my stomach isn't as flat as it used to be. Plus, I skipped my last two periods; I've never really been regular, but I've never skipped two in a row. I just kinda put it all together this morning," I shrugged. She squealed once more and the seamstress ushered her off the podium so she could take new measurements.

"This is so exciting!" Alice squeaked. "We need to get a test for you; or better yet, we should swing by the clinic and have a blood test done so we can be sure. When are you gonna tell Edward?"

"Well, first of all," I grinned, "the test is going to have to wait. I have a final this afternoon, so we'll have to do the test later. And I don't really want to tell Edward until I'm sure." She nodded in understanding, then drifted off deep in thought for the rest of the fitting.

I was finally allowed to change back into my clothes half an hour later. The seamstress promised that she'd have the final alterations done within the next two weeks, then she'd have the dress shipped to Carlisle and Esme's address. Alice and I thanked her profusely before stepping out of the shop arm in arm.

"So, we are happy about this pregnancy, right?" Alice started hesitantly. I chuckled at her wary expression and squeezed her arm.

"Of course we're happy, Alice," I grinned. "I mean, sure, it'll be hard with Edward starting medical school in the fall. But I'll be working from home and have plenty of time to take care of a baby; we've always intended to start a family at some point, we're just getting started a little earlier than planned," I shrugged. Alice's smile reappeared at my response, and she squealed excitedly once more.

"I'm so glad," she laughed, sighing in relief. "And now that we're going back to Washington you'll have plenty of help. There's me, and Rose, and Esme...plus all the guys," she grinned. I rolled my eyes with a smile and she laughed brightly, kissing me on the cheek as she deposited me at my car.

"Good luck on your test!" she called, and I waved over my shoulder as she skipped off to her Porsche. My grin wouldn't disappear as I drove to campus, and I was still smiling as I slipped into my classroom. The large lecture hall was already halfway filled with students, and our instructor arrived to pass out the tests only a few minutes later. My good quickly evaporated as I struggled to concentrate on the test, taking a deep breath before getting down to work.

The test was a six page explication of a poem by Maya Angelou. I'd always been good at English, but poems were not my strong point. I gnawed nervously on my lip as I filled up page after page, interrupted every few minutes by the vibration of my phone in my pocket. I finally pulled it out after the third missed call and dropped it into my purse, not needing any distractions.

I finally wrapped up my essay with a sigh of relief, gathering my things as I rose and carrying my blue book to the front of the room. The professor nodded with a small smile of thanks as I sat my essay on the pile and turned to leave the room. I pulled my phone out of my purse as soon as I was in the hall, curious to see who had been calling me.

I tapped the screen to unlock my phone, a quick glance confirming that I had five missed calls, two voicemails, and half a dozen text messages. The calls were all from Leah and Jasper, with repeated texts to call them. My pulse began to speed as I read the urgency in their messages, and I quickly connected to my voicemail. My brow furrowed as Leah's voice reached my ears first, her voice hesitant and strained.

"_Hey, Bella, it's Leah," _she started, her tone wary_. "Look, I don't really know how to say this, so...you know what? Can you just call me when you get this? I probably shouldn't tell you this in a voicemail," she muttered. "Just call me when you get this message, and maybe we can meet up at my place to talk or something. Okay, well...bye."_

I frowned as I saved the message and waited for the other to start. She didn't sound scared or urgent, but she definitely wasn't calling just to see how I was doing. I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind as Jasper's voice floated through the receiver next, his tone much more controlled than Leah's, but still carrying an edge.

"_Bella, it's Jasper. Look, I don't really have time to explain, but I need you to come to Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough when you get this message. Edward's being brought in to the emergency room. Now, don't freak out, he's gonna be okay, but I need you to get here as soon as you can. Love ya, bye."_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: I hate to be cruel, but I'm gonna cover the day from Edward's point of view now =) Please don't kill me, I'll promise I'll explain how he ends up in the hospital! **

**Chapter 4**

**EPOV**

I grudgingly slipped my fingers out of Bella, pouting as she tugged her skirt back into place. She leaned up on her toes to suck my bottom lip between hers, then turned to answer the door.

My eyes followed her hips as they swayed down the hallway, a pout on my lips at being interrupted. Bella giggled at the look on my face and pulled open the door to let my sister inside. Alice scritinized Bella's appearance before glancing at me, one eyebrow quirked.

"I don't even wanna know," she sighed, and I winked at Bella with a crooked grin. The smile on her lips was too inviting, and I had to cross the room to feel her lips against my own one more time before disappearing into our bedroom.

The girls talked quietly in the living room for a minute as I pulled on my shoes then slipped into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I finished buttoning my shirt as I stepped back out, Bella standing in front of closet as she slipped her little feet into a pair of heels.

I licked my lips reflexively, my eyes traveling slowly up the length of her long, toned legs, and slowly went to her side to wrap an arm around her waist. I marveled about the fact that this woman was mine while I led her to the living room.

She tilted her head to smile up at me, and I bent down to press my lips to the hollow behind her ear. She shivered involuntarily, stroking my ego and bringing a cocky grin to my lips with a chuckle. I released her into Alice's arms to grab my things while Bella checked to make sure everything she needed was in her purse.

"I have my last final right after the fitting, so I won't see you until later on this evening. Is the group still coming over tonight?" I nodded in response, following the girls out of the front door and turning around to lock it as I spoke..

"Yeah, this is our last session since the test is tomorrow. They're coming over here for a short night just to review. They'll probably be gone by the time you get back." I grinned down at her suggestively, earning a dick-hardening giggle in return, and Alice sighed dramatically at our exchange.

"Alright, loverboy, you need to go pick up Jazz for _your_ final fitting. It's in an hour, so don't be late," she warned, looking at me sternly. I threw her a mock salute and bent to kiss Bella one last time, then turned to walk toward my Volvo.

I watched Bella pull out of the lot behind Alice with a small smile on my lips. I'd always been ridiculously attracted to Bella, and for some inexplicable reason she was just as attracted to me. Our physical relationship was incredible as a result, but lately it had gone up another notch. For some reason she just couldn't get enough these past few weeks; not that I'm complaining. I'm just not sure how I have anything left at this point, if you know what I mean.

Jasper was coming down the stairs of their building when I pulled up, and he ambled slowly across the lot to meet me. He slid into the passenger seat with an easy grin and a tip of his imaginary hat, and I steered us toward the tux shop. We talked idly about the end of the semester as I drove, and before I knew it we were both standing in the middle of a shop in tuxedos with a man tugging and pulling on the fabric to get it where he wanted it.

"So, how ya feelin' man?" Jasper drawled, grinning over at me. I grinned back automatically, thinking about my morning with Bella.

"I feel great," I chuckled. "I mean, I know Bella's already mine, but I can't wait for her to _really_ be mine, you know? Does that make sense?" I asked. Jasper nodded slowly, an easy smile tugging at his lips.

"Yeah, I know what ya mean," he said slowly. "Alice and I have been together as long as I can remember, but I still got a little thrill puttin' that ring on her finger. Now all those other fuckers know not to touch her. I can't wait until _our _wedding, when I can make it official." I grinned, happy that he understood what I meant, and held my arms out obligingly for the tailor.

"How about the move?" I asked. "Are you ready to go back?"

"Oh, hell yeah," Jasper chuckled. "I wasn't meant to live near snow. Seattle isn't exactly a warm, sunny climate either, but I prefer rain to snow any day. How 'bout you?" he asked.

"I'll be glad to be back near my family. And it'll be a relief to get the hell away from Tanya," I admitted with a laugh. Jasper chuckled with me, shaking his head slowly.

"That girl's somethin' else," he sighed. "I figured she woulda backed off when you asked Bella to marry you, but it seems like she just gets worse and worse." I rolled my eyes, nodding in agreement.

"At this point I think a move clear across the country is the only way to get rid of her," I grumbled. "Maybe I should get Bella pregnant; I wonder if that would do the trick." I grinned at Jasper and he chuckled loudly, shaking his head at me. My grin shifted into a small smile, and I quickly shook my head to clear those thoughts.

"I know that look; what are you thinkin' about, man?" Jasper smiled. I opened my mouth to speak, then hesitated for a second.

"I guess I'm just wondering where we go from here, you know? I mean, what happens after we get married? I'm starting med school in the fall, and Bella's starting her career. I'll probably be too busy to even spend time with her, let alone move onto the next phase of our lives. What if she doesn't want to wait that long?" Jasper remained silent as I voiced my fears, his eyes lost deep in thought.

"Honestly, man? I think you need to have a little more faith in the girl," he finally chuckled. "Bella went into this thing knowing all of that; if she wasn't willing to wait, she wouldn't have said yes. But who says you have to wait? I mean, nobody's ever _really_ ready to have kids and settle down, you know? There's always some obstacle you're gonna have to get past. There is no such thing as the perfect time."

I mulled over his words, trying to decide how that applied to us. I would start a family now if we could. There was nothing I wanted more than for Bella to become my wife and have my children, the two of us growing old together as we watched them grow up and start families of their own. The practical side of me reasoned that medical school was hard enough without throwing an infant into the mix. But the less reasonable side of me wanted Bella to have my children, no matter the cost.

"How early is too early to start a family?" I finally asked seriously. Jasper grinned at me, reaching over to clap me on the shoulder.

"There's not really a rule for that kind of thing," he shrugged. "But I'd venture to say it's something you should talk to Bella about, not me." I rolled my eyes and punched him in the shoulder, earning a low chuckle in return.

The tailor finally finished making his last measurements, then sent us back into the changing rooms to get out of the suits. I sighed in relief as I pulled my jeans and button-down back on, glad to have some movement back. We thanked the tailor before heading back out, and I dropped Jasper back at his place with a promise that we'd get together with them after my test tomorrow to celebrate. I headed back to the apartment, sending out a quick text to the group to let them know what time to meet up. I wanted to get it over with a little earlier than usual so they'd be gone by the time Bella got home. I needed a night alone with my girl more than I needed study time.

The guys were the first to arrive, as usual, then Leah and Tanya. Everyone settled down in my living room after I apologized for the mess of boxes. We were just doing a short review tonight, since we'd pretty much learned everything we could at this point. The test was tomorrow after lunch, so cramming at this point would be useless.

"So, did your monkey suit fit?" Leah teased. I threw a balled up sheet of paper at her and she dodged it easily with a laugh.

"Yeah, we're both good. The guy's sending them to my parents' house next week. How's the dress comin' along?" I retorted. She scrunched her nose in annoyance, rolling her eyes at me. Leah was one of Bella's bridesmaids, and she'd spent the afternoon with Alice making sure their dresses were ready to go. Leah wasn't really a dress kinda girl.

"It's not as bad as I thought," she finally mumbled, shrugging her shoulders and avoiding my eyes. The guys and I all chuckled, and she shot us all warning glares. Tanya remained silent throughout the exchange, sulking into her textbook. I was making it my goal to steadfastly ignore her tonight. This was the last time I'd have to deal with her, and I was hoping to break any vestiges of hope she might be harboring.

We spent the next two hours quizzing each other, clarifying any points that were a little fuzzy. Tanya seemed to be a little more brazen than usual tonight, her flirtation a little more open. I ignored her as best I could, and the group helped to head her off when she was pushing me to the edge of my patience. I finally decided we needed a break after her last attempt to subtly place her hand on my knee. I called in an order for some subs for everybody, and went to grab a few cokes out of the fridge but Tanya beat me to it.

"I got it," she smiled sweetly, and I quirked an eyebrow at the rest of the group. She returned a few minutes later with her arms full of glasses. We all took one and settled down to eat, talking about what we needed to bring to the test and verifying the times as we ate.

We slipped back into our review once we were finished eating, taking turns quizzing each other once again on the main components. We had only been back at it for about half an hour when I started getting groggy and was having trouble focusing. I shook it off, thinking that I was just drowsy from so much studying. I kept glancing at the clock every few minutes, wondering what was too early to send everybody home. Another hour passed before my sluggishness became too strong to hide.

"Edward, you okay?" I blinked up at Leah, struggling much more than should be necessary to understand her question.

"Um, yeah. 'S fine," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands. My vision swam sickeningly when I glanced up once more, and was met by four pairs of concerned eyes.

"You don't look so good, man. Maybe we should call it a night," Felix suggested. I nodded slowly, my head feeling much heavier than I remembered. Everyone quickly stood up to start gathering their books, and I rose to join them. I only made it a couple of feet before my legs began to shake, and I stumbled into the couch, falling onto the cushion Leah had vacated.

"You sure you're okay, Edward? Do you want us to call somebody?" I shook my head at Demitri struggling to get my eyes open.

"Nah, 's cool," I slurred. "I'll prolly just go lay down." He shared a glance with Felix but nodded once, patting me on the shoulder before slipping out the front door.

"Make sure you do that," Leah ordered. "Tell Bella to call me when she gets in." I nodded in response, and she studied me for a long moment before following the guys out. I glanced up at Tanya to wait for her to leave, then frowned when I realized she was putting her bag back down.

"Finally," she grumbled, setting her bag in the chair she had vacated and walking slowly towards me. I tried to open my mouth to ask her what she was doing, but I couldn't quite get my tongue to cooperate. My vision was blurred and hazy, and I blinked my eyes furiously to try to see her.

"You really did make this harder than it needed to be, Edward," she sighed. My pulse raced in alarm moments later when I felt her hands on my shirt, slowly popping open the buttons. I struggled with my limbs, trying to push her away, but I couldn't quite find the strength to lift them from the cushions.

"I mean, you're only twenty-two, and Bella is the only woman you've ever been with. How do you know she's the right one?" she demanded. I struggled to remain conscious, trying to figure out some way to call for help without the use of my motor skills.

"All I'm asking for is a chance, Edward. If it doesn't work out, we can go our separate ways as if nothing ever happened," she shrugged.

She was tugging on my jeans now, pulling them down to my ankles. I sat motionless on the couch, unable to stop her as she stripped me down to my boxers, my shirt opened wide to expose my chest. I swallowed thickly, willing my throat to work, but no sound came out. I sighed with relief when the front door opened in the next instant, Leah's voice forcing Tanya to stop her movements.

"Hey, Edward, I think I forgot my-" Her voice cut off abruptly, and Tanya jerked herself back into a standing position.

"Uh, we were just-" she stuttered, backing away from me and groping behind her for her bag.

"Oh, I know exactly what you were 'just' doing you little slut. You better get the fuck out of this apartment before Bella gets home and has to see this," Leah growled.

Tanya blinked at her for a moment before turning and gripping the strap of her bag, throwing it over her shoulder and scurrying past Leah to slip out of the apartment. I slowly forced my head to turn to the side, trying to catch Leah's eyes so she'd help me. I couldn't quite get it far enough around, and I struggled harder as my vision began to fade.

"I can't believe you, Edward," Leah said softly, and then she was gone.

I sat in the deafening silence of my apartment, trying not to let my panic build. Tanya obviously hadn't meant to kill me, so hopefully whatever she'd slipped me just knocked me out for a little while. Another flash of panic spread through me as I realized that Leah would probably call Bella and tell her what she'd seen. I was agonizing over how I would get her to listen to me when my apartment door flew open again a few minutes later.

"Edward?" Jasper's voice rang through the space, laced with concern. I shifted minutely in my spot, and he muttered curses under his breath as he rushed to my side. I could vaguely make out his shape as he bent over me, but my vision was quickly slipping.

"Fuck, Edward," he mumbled. "Okay, take it easy, man. I'm gonna call you an ambulance, alright? Just hang in there." He quickly punched in a number on his cell and began talking to a dispatcher, giving them my address. I finally let the exhaustion take over, drifting into unconsciousness as Jasper started placing more calls.


End file.
